What women voters think about McCain, Clinton and Obama

Top advisors to Hillary Clinton, particularly the now-sullied Mark Penn, long have counted not only on a bedrock of support for her from women not only in the Democratic presidential primary -- which has held firm -- but from both parties in the general election.

Perhaps. But a new poll solely of women voters -- of all political stripes -- commissioned by Lifetime Networks shows that as the campaign has slogged on, her image has suffered among her gender.

The survey was conducted by two respected pollsters -- Kellyanne Conway (a Republican) and Celinda Lake (a Democrat). We talked to the polling director for the L.A. Times, Susan Pinkus, and she was struck by this finding: 26% of women polled said that since January, their opinion of Clinton had declined, compared with 15% who said it had improved.

Pinkus noted that looking more deeply into the poll, much of the drop in Clinton's standing was attributable to negative attitudes expressed by Republican women.

Still, no comparable trend was found for either Barack Obama, Clinton's rival in the Democratic race, or John McCain, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.

Among the women interviewed, 15% said they now had a more favorable view of McCain, and exactly the same number reported a less favorable view. The findings for Obama also ...

were a wash -- 23% said they now like him better, 22% said they don't.

The poll didn't clarify the Democratic race -- it did not pit Clinton and Obama in a one-on-one-matchup. Instead, the entire sample group was asked a horserace question that included McCain. And the findings were close to a flat-out tie: Clinton, 27%, Obama and McCain 25% each.

Pinkus also made this observation about another survey result:

"This poll shows how times have changed.  Last year, Iraq was one of the top mentions in many polls as the issue voters wanted candidates to discuss. Now, women are very concerned about the economy. When asked what is the most important issue that will get them out to vote, jobs and the economy, packaged as one topic, was mentioned as the top issue, followed by healthcare.  Fifth mention was the war in Iraq."

Finally, there was this, from the news release providing an overview of the poll (and which FINALLY explains the picture above):

"Meryl Streep was named actress most fit to play the role of Hillary Clinton in a Lifetime movie (17%). Actresses Glenn Close and Diane Keaton followed (both tied at 11%)."

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Brahama]

Don,

The poll found that the majority of people thought that Meryl Streep was most fit to play the role of Hillary Clinton in a Lifetime movie because she already has.

I read an interview somewhere with Ms. Streep and she said that when she was cast in the 2004 remake of the movie "The Manchurian Candidate", she specifically modeled the mannerisms of her character on Hillary Clinton.

Rent it. I think you'll find it's obvious.

[Debmood]

Hillary is having a problem with the truth. There is no way I can believe that women are expected to vote for Hillary Clinton because she is a woman. That is insane.
When it comes to the future of my grand children I take this election very serious. Hillary lies. Hillary does not pay her bills. Hillary is negative and divisive. I have no reason to vote for Hillary.
Hillary cannot relate to the needs of blue collar workers but she will lie to them just to get a vote. Hillary is all about Hillary. If she wasn't, she would make sure she pay the vendors she owes and stop telling lies.

[Chris]

Given the number "accidents" which happened to the friends, supporters, officials, etc... around the Clintons during the 90's, would Obama really choose Hillary as his vice presidential choice?

[Cher]

Well, when the media constantly portrays Hillary as a cold, calculated witch, what do you expect? Women are always seen as scheming when they strive to get ahead while men are seen as confident. It really makes me angry.

[Robin]

As a woman, I would love to see a woman as commander in chief; however, it is very important that we choose someone who will make us proud and that person is NOT Hillary Clinton.

[bruce becker]

Elton John is whipping up support for HRC among women, by "lamenting" sexism in the US.
Wait until fall Elton, when the right-wing has the 22nd amendment on the ballot to rally the fundementalists to vote for the continued repressive regime of Bush/Cheney/CIA/McCain, by denying homosexuals and lesbians the right to marriage, even though some Christian sects now allow lesbian and homosexual ministers.
We will have the abuse of religion to prop up the most repressive regime in US history.
Did you notice that half the men running for Republican presidential nomination claimed to believe in the literal Bible? That means they are back to Tennessee vs Snopes. Anything for a vote, boys and girls.

www.pocm.info < my favorite Christ website

[chris cameron]

Yawn. Another Clinton hit piece from our two white male bloggers.

Wassa matter, boyz? You worried you're going to lose your white male priviledge if a woman gets elected? Sure seems like it given the negative bias in your blog posts.

[Suzanne Gentling]

Which actress would be most appropriate to play Hillary? Are they kidding? And do they suppose our hideous invasion of Iraq has anything to do with the state of our economy?

This isn't a movie. We're in real trouble here.

Suzanne Gentling
Glen Rose, TX

[e]

If HRC's lips are moving, she's lying. I heard her say tonight that she and Bill have worked for everything they have. Well what about that 100K that her broker made for her trading cattle futures on insider information??
These 2 people have a litany of felonies behind them, that whatever reason, they've not been made to answer for. Everyone else is lying...just not them.
Does that make any sense people?? Bill and Hill are, by clinical definiton, pathological liars.
I wouldn't trust em in my lemonade stand.

[AlphaOverdawg]

Women should not vote for Clinton just because she is a woman any more than blacks should vote for Obama because he's black, or white men should vote for McCain because he's white. But people DID and WILL vote that way in large numbers, despite the opinions of others. They also will continue to lie to pollsters and the media

It would be interesting to poll Democrat white males about their reasons for supporting Obama over Clinton. Probably dig up some really good rationalizations and lies there.

[No_mOre_Clintons!]

The Clintons have made a $100-million fortune since leaving the White House, but a Politico analysis found that hasn’t kept Bill Clinton from taking full advantage of the publicly funded perks offered to ex-presidents.

In fact, his presidential retirement benefits cost taxpayers almost as much as those of the other two living ex-presidents combined.

The price tag for Clinton’s federal retirement allowance from 2001 through the end of this year will run $8 million, compared to $5.5 million for George H. W. Bush’s and $4 million for Jimmy Carter’s during the same period.

Since 2001, Clinton has received more of almost every benefit available to former presidents — from his pension to his staff’s salaries and benefits to supplies. His $420,000 phone bill and $3.2 million office rent tab both nearly surpassed the totals rung up for those purposes by Bush, Carter and the late former presidents Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan combined. As a group, they spent $484,000 on telephone service and $3.8 million on rent in the same span.

The figures come from congressional reports studying the presidential retirement program and from summaries of annual budget requests by the U.S. General Services Administration, which administers the program, created to allow former presidents to enjoy dignified retirements without having to take jobs that demean or commercialize the presidency.

[RicRoe]

Clinton is not losing support becuase she is a woman, Clinton is losing supporters because she is being seen as dishonest.

How can voters believe anything Clinton says any more?

Do we trust Clinton when she says she is against NAFTA or do we believe video tape that shows her active role during its inception?

Do we trust Clinton when she says she she was under sniper fire during her trip to Bosnia or do we believe the video tape that proves she was not?

Do we trust Clinton when she says she supports equal rights for all Americans or do we believe she supports remarks made by attack dogs like the former President or Geraldine Ferraro?

Do we trust Clinton when she talks about a pregnant woman who lost her child and died herself or do we believe the doctors that treated the woman who tell quite a different story.

Do we trust Clinton who agreed with the Democratic party's decision regarding Minnesota and Florida's consequences for moving their primary dates or do we believe she has now flip flopped because she needs the votes?

Clinton, in her desperate attempts to be the consumate candidate has mis spoken and outright lied many times during this campaign run and no longer has any credibility when she speaks.

It is time for Clinton to end her seriously flawed campaign based on her failure to be honest with America on so many issues.

Voters and super delegates must realize that Clinton has lost all credibility, and this latest Colombia gate fiasco clearly illustrates her lack of honesty and integrity.

Clinton is losing supporters because she has become what she started out campaigning against - George Bush in a pants suit.

[MissClarity]

Please bare with me. Hillary is a Scorpio/Scorpion (astrologically speaking) and Billy Graham is a Scorpio/Scorpion. There's two kinds of Scorpions - one lives in the dark under rocks and the other is an Eagle who flies in the heavens - you know the under the rock scorpion referred to when she mocked God by invalidating Barack when she said "the heavens will open and the clouds will part and celestial chiors will sing and there will be light". Remember. The Eagle honors God and His heavenly hosts and would never, I say never mock the Lord thy God. God will decide this election. Amen

[CHarris]

That republican women don't support Sen. Clinton shouldn't be a surprise. Eight years of the Clintons is why most of them are republicans.

[MissClarity]

Cher: Pelosi isn't seen as a liar, deceiver, scheming political leader and she's a women. Oh, I'm sorry you didn't mention the latter. So it isn't apples to apples. What can I say? Pelosi would be a fine example for any women to site as an achiever and it's not been an easy ride for her either and even so she keeps her dignity and graciousness soaked in kindness and she's not just a portrayal of those qualities ==she IS those qualities. Now where were we. Oh yes, THE LIAR (Hilliary) IS IN HER SELF MANUFACTURED QUICKSAND and no one did it but her. Give a dog enough rope and . . .

[NANCY LAFLEUR]

Obama's wife has been his Achilles heel all along but nobody thought to take a good look at her until now:

Subject: Thesis - Michele Obama aka Michelle LaVaughn Robinson -



In her senior thesis at Princeton, Michele Obama, the wife of Barack Obama stated that America was a nation founded on "crime and hatred". Moreover, she stated that whites in America were "ineradicably racist". The 1985 thesis, titled "Princeton-Educated Blacks and the Black Community" was written under her maiden name, Michelle LaVaughn Robinson.

Michelle Obama stated in her thesis that to "Whites at Princeton , it often seems as if, to them, she will always be Black first..." However, it was reported by a fellow black classmate, "If those "Whites at Princeton " really saw Michelle as one who always would "be Black first," it seems that she gave them that impression".

Most alarming is Michele Obama's use of the terms "separationist" and "integrationist" when describing the views of black people.

Mrs. Obama clearly identifies herself with a "separationist" view of race.
"By actually working with the Black lower class or within their communities as a result of their ideologies, a separationist may better understand the desperation of their situation and feel more hopeless about a resolution as opposed to an integrationist who is ignorant to their plight."

Obama writes that the path she chose by attending Princeton would likely lead to her "further integration and/or assimilation into a white cultural and social structure that will only allow me to remain on the periphery of society; never becoming a full participant."

Michele Obama clearly has a chip on her shoulder.

Not only does she see separate black and white societies in America , but she elevates black over white in her world.

Here is another passage that is uncomfortable and ominous in meaning:
"There was no doubt in my mind that as a member of the black community, I am obligated to this community and will utilize all of my present and future resources to benefit the black community first and foremost. "

What is Michelle Obama planning to do with her future resources if she's first lady that will elevate black over white in America ?

The following passage appears to be a call to arms for affirmative action policies that could be the hallmark of an Obama administration.
"Predominately white universities like Princeton are socially and academically designed to cater to the needs of the white students comprising the bulk of their enrollments."

The conclusion of her thesis is alarming.
Michelle Obama's poll of black alumni concludes that other black students at Princeton do not share her obsession with blackness. But rather than celebrate, she is horrified that black alumni identify with our common American culture more than they value the color of their skin. "I hoped that these findings would help me conclude that despite the high degree of identification with whites as a result of the educational and occupational path that black Princeton alumni follow, the alumni would still maintain a certain level of identification with the black community. However, these findings do not support this possibility."

Is it no wonder that most black alumni ignored her racist questionnaire? Only 89 students responded out of 400 who were asked for input.

Michelle Obama does not look into a crowd of Obama supporters and see Americans. She sees black people and white people eternally conflicted with one another.

The thesis provides a trove of Mrs. Obama's thoughts and world view seen through a race-based prism.
This is a very divisive view for a potential first lady that would do untold damage to race relations in this country in a Barack Obama administration.

Michelle Obama's intellectually refined racism should give all Americans pause for deep concern.

Now maybe she's changed, but she sure sounds like someone with an axe to grind with America . Will the press let Michelle get a free pass over her obviously racist comment about American whites? I am sure that it will. But it shouldn't.

FYI:
I am not a supporter of any of the candidates for president. In fact, they all leave a bad taste in my mouth. However, I am definitely sick of the main stream media (MSM) feeding us all this crap about Obama being an agent of change.

Has anyone stopped to think what kind of change; really?
PS: We paid for her scholarship.

[Sally]

Why should her life be turned into a movie? She was Mrs. Governor, then Mrs. President, and then because of those two titles, became senator in an easy NY race, and is now using those three titles to run for president. I think we already have a movie around the idea of marrying your way to the top. It's called Evita.

[Judy Kilgore]

Senator Clinton is not divisive or negative; her detractors and the MSM who feed them, are. As for those who claim that she cannot relate to blue-collar workers, I would suggest that it is some of these workers who cannot relate to HER, simply because she is rich. By this logic, Senator Obama cannot relate to white, female Americans because he is black and male and a citizen of the world. (He, too, is rich in comparison to any blue-collar worker and all poor voters.)

Senator Clinton is reported to be a liar. Those who self-righteously report this have never lied --- and don't ,now ? Carl Bernstein is a good case in point. He cheated on his ex-wife, Nora Ephron (are we to believe he was truthful during his cheating?), while she was seven months pregnant. When she wrote a novel based on her marriage and this episode within it, he sued to have the novel repressed. Yet he self-righteously calls Senator Clinton a liar and has written a book about her sins. What a double standard! This man, and CNN who regularly has him on to bloviate about Senator Clinton, is a huge hypocrite. He is also a misogynist (see his remarks on Senator Clinton's "thick ankles"), as are most members of the MSM, evidently.

Senator Obama has repeatedly lied, either outright or by omission. Google "Obama lies" and you will find a literal laundry list of his lies, regularly updated. The MSM doesn't report this, of course, so they assume the public will listen to their slanted view of things and choose the honest and capable Obama. Unfortunately, some will, just as some --- too many! --- believed what the MSM reported about the wonderful King George, of late, Mr. Uniter, personified.

No politician is perfiect, in spite of what the Obama fans believe. No politician, even as president, can wave a magic wand and change us , our country, or the world for the better, in spite of what the Obama fans believe. What we as voters need to do is look at a candate's public record, not at promises or false claims of having healing powers. (If you believe another human being can heal you, put your faith in one of the fundamentalist quacks, not a politician.) We need to list their actual accomplishments, not their claims for future accomplishments.

[Polls Lie]

Some of these polls are misleading. It assumes a homogeneous population and with a sample size of 1500 to 2000 I doubt if you could find such a condition. If you sampled on the West Coast you'd get radically different percentages than the south. I think these polls, if not unethical to release the findings the way they are, are highly damaging to how knowledge is constructed regarding the voting population ... for one, if perhaps you do this 2 months from now, you can get different numbers and conclude that there is a change, when all it is is that you got a different audience! Polls like these need to be published with population numbers (sample) and where the sample was taken ... they should also be cross tabbed with the respective groups (demographics) that were solicited. In other words, the number that would be most revealing is the number of republicans that rated Clinton.

[Richard Williams]

Obama’s Dubious Affiliations

There is no way a white man with the same background and credentials as Obama could ever be elected to any significant office.

Look at Obama’s affiliations:
- Mr. Rezko is Obama’s long time friend and a major mob figure.

- Mr. Auchi is a billionaire and major financial sponsor for Obama’s rise to power throughout the past years.
While working with Saddam Hussein, Auchi made his money through the sell of arms in Iraq and by stealing money from the Oil for Food program (no wonder Obama voted against invading Iraq)

- Mr. Wright is a racist who hates America and whites and is reminiscent of Hitler and has been Mr. Obama’s teacher for over 20 years.

- Senator Meeks who openly hates whites and gays and is one of listed on Obama’s campaign website as a major supporter and is one of Obama;s super-delegate. Mr. Meeks has been integral in helping Mr. Obama succeed in politics.

- Mr. Ayers of the Weather Underground, a group that killed police and tried to bomb the US Capitol served with Obama on the board of the leftist foundation called the Woods Fund.

- Mr. McPeaks is Obama’s military adviser and national campaign co-chairman who claims that American Jews are the "problem." and “Christian Zionists were driving America's policy in Iraq to benefit Israel.”

- Michelle Obama trumpets Obama as “the second coming of the messiah,” and states that she “has never been proud to be an AMERICAN in her adult life".